The Tale of the Cat's
by HypRRNeRd
Summary: Yoruichi's stroy, YoruichiXKisuke hints will be included later on. From childhood to current manga arch. Yoruichi's point of view. R&R.
1. Chapter 1

**Alright, another story. This is about Yoruichi, from childhood till the current manga arch, in my point of veiw. I know that so many people have already done a story on Yoruichi (and Kisuke's) childhood, but I felt like doing one too. This is gonna be the first story I do that has a plan of more than one chapter, the HitsuHina one that I can't think of a title for doesn't count cuz I'm not sure if I'll add another chapter or leave it a oneshot...**

**Disclaimer: all you guys know this has to be put everytime, no matter how annoying it gets, **I DO NOT OWN BLEACH, IT BELONGS TO UM... THOSE MANGA AND ANIME COMPANY THINGY WHATEVER... YEAH, AND BLAH BLAH BLAH

**Um, yeah, i'm in a sort of sadistic mood rite now.**

**please review!!!!!!! feel free to flame this story to death, give constructive critsim, and the rare complements.**

"All right, I'm done now," I call to my sensei, sitting down on the smooth wooden floor after I finished those boring warm ups. They were a few kicks and punches after tedious flexing and bending my muscles. Absolutely the most boring thing ever. The sensei nods silently and a maid is called in to escort me to the library for my studies.

My life really sucks. I have no freedom at all, not since father decided that if I was going to be the head of the Shihōin house I was going to need a lot of training, I wouldn't be sent off to the shinigami academy, no that wasn't good enough for father. I would begin my training many years earlier, at age 35 **(A/N: The ages will be like times 10 for human to shinigami years and divide be 10 for shinigami to human years, so 35 divided by 10 3.5, so Yoruichi was about 3 and ½ years old when she ****began ****training)** my first tutored was hired. Even though I had a different tutor for each subject I couldn't really tell them apart, to me they were all the same quiet, white bearded old men, who would increase my boredom. And all these maids and escorts! It drove me nuts, I knew the mansion inside and out, backwards, forwards and every which way possible, yet father still insists on adult supervision at all times. This training of mine is no fun either, so far it has been nothing but memorizing, reciting, copying, and analyzing scroll after scroll of history, and other subjects I find only helpful to think about if I'm trying to fall asleep. The physical training got boring after a week, where I discovered instead of learning combat and kidō I do simple warm ups and call it a day.

"Little Yoruichi-sama," The maid beckons, opening the door for me to the library, I step inside, I face a solemn white bearded tutor, this was going to be another boring day.

"Little Yoruichi-sama," My physical training tutor calls, I look up, he continues. "I have notice you have above average agility, as you run rather fast and gracefully. Therefore I have decided to teach you something call flash steps." I perk up, _flash steps_, never heard of it before, but it sounds fun, finally! "Your father agreed, even though you're only 57 **(wow, she's 5 almost 6)** if you are ever going to excel you must be challenged. Now I'll explain the technique to you, it involves accurate timing of movement and balance as well as physical strength in the legs, so don't be disappointed if you don't get it the first time, as it also takes time to master." Sensei explained thoroughly and demonstrated the technique. I copied him and reached from one end of the room to the other in about 1 second flat, my first flash step, I smiled and did a few more. I really did not care how fast I went, it didn't matter to me, just doing those flash steps was the fun. My sensei remained silent, giving me a nod of approval and the lesson is over. **(um. well I really don't know how those flashsteps happen, so I like made it up, whatever)**

That same day I was bored again, one of the maids was walking me to the outside of the manor where I got an hour outside of the mansion every week. The maid disappears into the shadows of the tea garden, the only place in outside the mansion where I am allowed to go. I walk around, and soon enough I am doing flash steps. Moving at a comfortable pace I run circles around the tea garden before the maid noticed.

"Oh my! Little Yoruichi-sama what in the world is going on?" She asks in a worried, confused voice. I laugh, not stopping my flash steps, and realizing that the flash steps create the illusion that I have disappeared, only to have me reappear somewhere much farther away, and then disappear again. I do another flash step, this time I push myself to go as fast as possible, and a second later I am 20 meters from where I was a second ago. _20 meters per second, a second per step, I think that's a new record!_ The maid is taken aback by my sudden change in location.

"Little Yoruichi-sama! You are not to do that!" She scolds. Great, I was having fun and she yells at me, but when I'm bored to death they approve. The maid takes me by the hand and starts leading me inside.

"No!" I protest, my freedom was not going to be cut short, not matter what. "My hour outside isn't up yet! And I want to play some more!"

"Little Yoruichi-sama, I think you've had enough time outside"

"I haven't," I say.

"Then promise me you won't do that… thing again."

"Flash steps," I correct.

"Yes, yes, if you stay outside then no more flash steps." I really don't like this bargain but I nod anyway, the maid leads me back and lets go of my hand. _If I run fast enough she won't see me, and if I keep it up, then she can't do anything about it until I stop. She can't catch me. _I quickly take off, pushing myself for the farthest, fastest flash steps I have ever done. I hear the maids shouts, at least, that's what I think they are, with the brisk, refreshing breeze swirling around my head my senses are cut off, so I can't really hear anything but the _whoosh_ of the wind. I don't see anything but blurs of color that is changing at the speed of my run. Occasionally my surroundings would become clear again, all my senses alert, but only for that split second, as my eyes intake the sudden stillness. But then I'm off again, another second of blurs, then clearness, and then my eyes see blurs again. This happens numerous times, and then I notice that I have left the boundaries of the tea garden.

My eyes go wide as I see a small orchard of trees. I realize I haven't ever been here, that I haven't ever been past the strict boundaries set by my father. I realize what I wanted, what I've wanted all this time, freedom. I forget my flash steps, and start climbing up on one of the trees. I see some green, unripe fruit on the tree. Careful not to damage the fruit I make my way up. Reaching a rather high point I look up. I CAN SEE SO MUCH MORE FROM UP HERE! I see part of the house, its white stone wall gleaming against the sun with the red roof of the south porch standing next to a statue. Beneath the statue towards the south there are beds of flowers, all properly arranged and in a million colors. Then is the orchard, making a path southeast up to where I am on my tree. The orchard is much bigger than I imagined, going about 35 meters with evenly spaced trees. I turn and facing east would be the tea garden. The tea garden, with the lake full of goldfish and banzai trees, and Uh Oh! The maid is frantically looking for me, if I show up she is going to scold me and report this to my father, and I most likely will have my weekly hour outside eliminated. But if I didn't come to her someone would find me eventually, and the longer I wait the worst my punishment will be. I scamper down the tree, and start to head towards the tea garden, only to hear the voice that I really didn't want to hear right now.

"Yoruichi Shihōin, you aren't supposed to be in the area, and where is your chaperone?" I looked up to the speaker. He had serious eyes and a frown set deep on to his face, with a confident, noble air set in his stance.

"Konichiwa, father," I said weakly. Oh man, I was in BIG trouble.


	2. Chapter 2: Escape and new friends

**Yay! Chapter 2 is up! Thank you azngenius91, currently my one and only reviewer! Haha, pathetic me! I would also like to that everyone who read [and reviewed my other stories, they were oneshots. **

**This chapter is extra long, I guess I wanted to squish alot in there. **

**Diaclaimer: sigh, how annoying this gets, I don't own Bleach, this is for pure fandomness, If I did own Bleach then It would be very different and not as good, so be glad I don't.**

**Enjoy.**

I look at my father, who is giving me a disproving look, as my head starts to come up with punishment he might gave me. I could be locked in my room for 2 weeks strait with no one to talk to… wait, he did that when I spilled tea on the silk carpet in the parlor in front of all 20 guests about 3 years ago, but that was an accident…

"Explain yourself," Father demanded, while I was in the middle of figuring out the possibility of him making me write: "I shall never [insert action here again, and am very sorry for the trouble I had caused" 10,000 times. Well that punishment was when I got bored and tee-pied the walls of the main hallway, the funniest use of toilet paper and eggs, and when I tripped a few years ago knocking down my chaperone and 2 other servants, and we all bumped into a marble statue which fell over, knocking down the row of them, the domino effect, all 10 statues shattered into a million pieces, an accident, I swear! But it was really funny…

"Um…" I look at my feet, putting on an innocent face and trying to think of a suitable excuse…, nope, none, I'm dead.

Okay, I wasn't dead, but it's so boring here I wish I was, hmmm, I wonder what the human world is like… My father declared that I would be on lockdown for the next month, with the hour a week outside taken away, oh, and I wrote "I shall never step outside my given boundaries again, and am sorry for the trouble I caused" 10,000 times. My hand is sore. I'm supposed to be asleep, but I usually never am, well, what they don't know won't hurt me. I gaze outside my window, starring through the thick glass into the night sky. I wish the windows were open, but father always declared that the windows always be closed, for me anyway. I stare at the smooth white of the moon, glow against the deep blue curtain of sky behind it. Some of the stars are flickering, and the moonlight casts a shadow on the sakura tree outside. I look at the manor more intently, the windows in my room all face the tea garden, nothing to look at, but if I looked hard enough one of the walls surrounding the manor could be seen, just a part of it, I would have been able to see more but a big tree was in the way. Beyond that wall was Seireitei, and then it would be Rukongai. One of my sensei's made me study a lot about that, too bad I never went outside the manor. I turn around to face my room, it was neat and tidy, as my mother called it. She had a bunch of silks, satins, and velvet covering it, mostly everything was trimmed artfully and decorated to express that we were nobles. I hated it; I thought it was way too stiff. I glance at the walls of my room, to everyone else it was a luxury, a pleasure, but to my it was a torture, it was my prison. My fluffy, soft, silk covered prison. Facing my window again I look at the outside world, and then I try to do as many flash steps as I can do around the room. 93 flash steps and I was out of breath. I look out the window again. _This manor is my __prison;__ the outside world is my escape. Punishment or not I was going to get out of here, no matter what, I want that freedom._

That month passed really slowly, and it was so boring. With no option of the outside I have to practice my flash steps in the hallways and rooms of the mansion, much to the bafflement of my relatives and the servants. By the end of the month I was up to 59 flash steps possible in a minute and 101 flash steps before feeling out of breath. My physical training sensei saw my improvement and convinced my father that when my month of punishment was over I could go to the training grounds outside the mansion. _We had training grounds outside the __mansion__??? That was news to me. _I also got a kidō sensei. Kidō was fun, a new challenge for my, and that was great.

2 years passed. I was 59 now, and since I had sucked up to my father and been extremely angelic, staying out of trouble, my father no longer restricted my to the tea garden. I still only got an hour outside, but by using flash steps I was able to explore as much as possible. In one hour I knew the whole manor like the back of my hand. My chaperone, on the other hand, was not pleased by my flash steps, she could never keep up, so my father got me a new chaperone. The new chaperone was a member of the Special Forces, and quite good at flash steps, sadly, that crushed my plan of getting to the other side of the manor wall. The plan is simple, at the west wall of the manor there is a large oak tree, towering above 10ft. If I climb up the tree I will be able to reach the edge of the wall, which is conveniently flat and 3ft. wide. But Father had not yet allows me out of the manor, and a chaperone would surely follow Father's orders.

"Just great," Grumbled my new chaperone, a man probably around 200 years old. **(A/N: Remember my age system, so the guy's about 20)** "My first assignment and it's to babysit a brat. Flash steps? Don't kid around with me, she's only 59, probably can't even out run a dog!" This annoyed me very much.

"Hey! I heard that you know!" I exclaimed.

"Yeah, so? Flash steps, yeah right, don't screw around with me."

Okay, now I was WAY passed annoyed. I'll show him. Taking off I circled around the orchard where we were, and saw his surprised expression. I was just warming up, I'll show him! I push myself to the limit, and everything becomes a blur. I hear a muffled shouting, besides the wind howling in my ear. I go past the orchard, down through the flower garden and up towards the west wall. Not knowing, or caring where that chaperone of mine was I remember my plan. I find the oak tree and start climbing. Pushing my self further and further up through the strong branches. Then I see the wall, I inch closer and closer, until I set my foot on the top of the wall. Yes!

I peer down towards the other side; it's the world I've never seen before! It's amazing! I look down, 10 feet, with a carpet of grass to break my fall. Behind me I hear a distant shout, my chaperone looking for me. With a mischievous grin on my face I jump.

"Damn! That girl out ran me!" Said the chaperone, out of breath.

I'm sitting against the wall, my ankles are hurting really badly, but I'm pretty much too excited to care. So this was Seireitei! I stood up. I was going to explore it, I was going to have fun, and I was going to get the freedom I'd always wanted.

36 years later. For 36 years I had escaped my many chaperones' watchful eyes when ever I could to explore past the manor. I hid in the shadows, so no one would discover me and tell my father. And Father probably thought the chaperones thought I had disappeared because my flash steps were fast, whatever, he hadn't really inquired on that too much because he had other things to worry about and his health was declining. So I was free to explore Seireitei in the shadows. I had spied on shinigami training and stuff, and found that there were a number of restaurants and shops in Seireitei. No one really paid any mind to me if they did saw me because I blended in with my fine kimono. But 36 years was enough for me to get to know Seireitei, all of Seireitei, as well was I came to know the manor. My curiosity was getting the best of me again, as I decided to start exploring Rukongai.

I'm 95 years old now. **(A/N: So like 9 and a half) **I started to head towards the west gate. Why west? I don't know, I just followed my instinct. I find the wall surrounding Seireitei. _Whoa! It was huge, like 50 feet tall!_ How the heck am I supposed to get past this? Aw well, I like challenges.

Well there was no way I could climb the wall, so I did the most obvious thing. I when up to the enormous wooden door, and knocked. There was a loud thud and boom on the other side, the door open and I saw a giant ape, a gate keeper. Glancing down at me he asks:

"State your business Miss,"

"I wanna explore Rukongai," I say.

"Uh, well Miss I think you should take that up with your parents,"

"They won't let me do anything!" I stated, and quickly whispered, "Also, they don't know I'm out here, I'm not supposed to be."

"Sorry, but letting you out miss is against the rules, but you could try to find one of those hidden ways out."

I sigh and mumble alright. The door closed behind me. I thought it over, _find a __secret__passage_ I sounded like another challenge, this was going to be fun!

Yuck! This murky, damp smell I was never gonna get used to, and the dampness was probably going to ruin my silk kimono, that's another lecture from mother for me then. I was down in the sewers. I had quickly discovered the sewer system, which could quickly take you to almost any place in Seireitei, and to Areas one and two in all 4 directions of Rukongai. But once you got to one part of Rukongai you could go to all the other areas with ease.

I explored west Rukongai. Areas one and two were very uninteresting, everything being neat and tidy. As the numbers decreased the areas became less sound and in order. Area 75 of west Rukongai became my favorite. There I discovered friends, and my whole future changed.

I was 97 years old when I stumbled upon Area 75. By then the rest of the Shihōin clan just glance at me with a disapproving look for my constant disappearance. I was excelling in my studies co they couldn't be too mad, and my father's health was rapidly declining so they were worried about that than me. (nothing I worried about, he was going to get better, I think) I was walking around Area 75. I was on Main Street I guess, it was where all the shops were, so far the liveliest place on the whole city. I was looking around when I felt a tug on my kimono. Turning around I saw a large man in coarse brown rags.

"Heheh, lil' gul, you got ya self some fine clothin' dere, might fetcha nize prize, 'un yuh ya selve might be 'un doo. Wha ya say ya come wit me? I'd be veeelh nize, fuh me." **(Translation: hey little girl, you've got yourself some fine clothing there, it might fetch a nice price, and you yourself might be a nice prize too. What do you say you come with me? It would be really nice, for me.) **The man started to reach out for me, that stupid drunk! I quickly spun around and kicked him where it would hurt the most for a guy, even added some spirit energy into the kick. He quickly crumbled to the ground.

"You #$ !" He shouted at me through the pain. I realized a lot of people had turned to look at the scene. Besides the strong kick I did I realized the spectators were also eyeing my fine kimono, the thing stood out like a sore thumb here, unlike in Seireitei and the areas with smaller numbers. I didn't want to catch attention, but it was my only way out, I did a flash step and was out of Main Street. Oh well, none of them would be able to catch me anyway. But then I heard a sound, two spectators from the scene, I was about to ignore them and go away when I realized something. Both of them had done flash steps as well.

"Hey you!" One of then shouted at me, the one with black hair and tanned skin, though not as dark skin as mine.

"You guys know flash steps too?" I asked, strait to the point.

"Yup!" Said the dark haired one. "Where did you learn yours?"

"I was taught."

"Like at the shinigami academy? Whoa, we are planning on going there later when we are older. I'm Isshin Kurosaki by the way." Continued the dark haired one, now know as Isshin.

"I'm Kisuke Urahara," Said the second boy, who had pale skin and shaggy blond hair. "I heard about flash steps from somewhere, a 6th year shinigami student I think, he was talking about how to do it. I caught on soon and so did Isshin."

"I'm Yoruichi Shihōin," I say. "And I haven't attended the Academy at all; my father has been hiring sensei for me for decades."

"Whoa! A noble!" Said Isshin. "But with you connections you could get into the Academy easily!"

"And I bet you're never hungry like we are. Well, that's what happens when you're poor and have reishi." Said Kisuke.

"Hey, being a noble is not all it's cut out to be. And Shinigami Academy? Please, my father doesn't even let me out of the manor! If he knew I had seen all of Seireitei he would kill me! Don't get me started on Rukongai." Then I started a whole rant about the lack of freedom I had and all the rules I had to obey. I added how I escaped and had been exploring ever since.

"I never thought being a noble was so tedious," said Isshin.

"Uh-huh, but hey, if your so eager to get out of there then escape again and come right back here, we'll show you what we do around here, I bet it's way better than being bored to death at home" Said Kisuke.

"Way ahead of you," I said, and got ready to go.

"Bring some food while you're at it," Said Isshin.


	3. Chapter 3: Change With Death

**Sorry for the slow update! Now i would like to thank my reviewer, yeah, ONE reviewer for actually reading this suckish story. **

**DISCLAIMER: yeah, yeah, we all know the drill, blah, blah, blah, I don't own [insert anime/manga/whatever this fanfic is fanfic from blah, blah. Can't just post something on it's homepage saying no one owns any of the stuff on there??? but, whatever. I don't own BLEACH, **

**and on with the story:**

The next day when I woke up, I was hopeful for once. I had finally made some friends, and had something to look forward to. It was getting late, so I couldn't stay long yesterday, but now I knew exactly where to go, and exactly who to meet. I dressed in a plain yellow cotton kimono, my plainest one; I hoped it wouldn't stand out. After eating breakfast I snuck into the kitchen and took a few pork buns, fried and boiled dumplings, a couple pieces of sushi, some caviar, 3 fruit tarts, and a few pieces of fried octopus. **(A/N: a few of my favorite foods XD) **That should be enough to satisfy Isshin. Packing the food up, I stepped outside and made my way to Area 75. Who knew flash steps could be so useful?

I'm walking around area 75, where the heck are they? They weren't on Main Street, and I didn't know where else to look, they could have at least given me directions! After a big sigh I plop down onto a patch of dry dirt, hanging around here would be way better than going back to the manor.

"Aw! All the food's cold!" Exclaimed Isshin 2 hours later. Despite that the two of them start digging in like they never had a decent meal before… wait, yeah, they probably haven't.

"If you guys had been here when I first came it wouldn't have," I blandly state.

"That's Kisuke's fault," said Isshin. "I had to supervise another one of his crazy experiments."

"Yup! I was testing the uses of reishi, if you could implant it onto another object, or if using it would lessen the impact of a very high fall," said Kisuke, grinning. "Turns out it can't, and I have the bruises to prove it."

"Oh, so you're your own guinea pig? That makes sense; see how you could get yourself _killed._ And having reishi is energy consuming enough," I pointed out. Kisuke shrugged.

"Whatever," said Isshin. "Come on, we've got some stuff to do. Kisuke, let's show Yoruichi what she's been missing all these years."

"Whoa! Being a noble must suck!" Exclaimed Kisuke. I nod, for the past few months I had been able to slip away from the manor to Area 75 of West Rukongai, my freedom, my escape, and where I truly felt at home. I had become fast friends with Kisuke and Isshin, it didn't even matter to them that I was a noble.

"That tipeeing the main hallway thing was awesome though," said Isshin.

"Totally," I laugh, "So worth the trouble, you should have seen the elders' faces!"

"But if you keep getting into trouble will there be a possibility of you being disowned?" Asks Kisuke.

"Awesome! Then I'll come strait here and live with you guys." I say, "But then I couldn't bring the food Isshin always asks for."

"The conditions here are pretty rough, not as bad as 76 to 80 but still…" Kisuke says in a completely serious tone. I understood, they lived in the out skirts of the Area in a 2 room shack surrounded by hills, and trees and stones, oddly enough both of them would get hungry, which meant that they both had spiritual power, and could be shinigami.

"So have you found out about the exams for the Academy yet?" I ask.

"Yeah, I'm doing some prying around," Kisuke says.

"Yoruichi, are you sure you can't attend?" Isshin asks, "It would be cool if the 3 of us were in the same class and stuff."

"Ha! The 3 of us can dream on, my father would never allow it,"

"Well the two of us can wait a few years, maybe you could convince your father by then," Said Kisuke.

"Thanks guys, we'll see. In the mean time I'll dig up some of the scrolls my tutors give me, boring as they are they could be useful." I leave, fully intending to come back the next day.

My eyes go wide in shock. It couldn't be! Ignoring the maid I do flash steps up to father's chambers, to the very back is his bed. True to the maid's description, there he is, looking deathly pale, compared to me he is always pale, but he's not just pale, but a snow white. I walk over slowly, for once no one tries to shoo me away. I stand next to my mother, who is at the head of his bed, looking at him with very sad eyes. Everyone is quiet in the room, all the relatives and servants.

I stare at father, he is covered in sweat, and I can feel the heat released from his body, yet he is shivering slightly, his eyes look unfocused and lost, this is not the father I knew, the one who would stare down at me in disapproval nearly every time he saw me, the father who was proud and dignified. This father of mine was sick, sick and… dying. I hear him cough, blood gushing up his throat and out his mouth. A servant comes with a wet towel to wipe up the blood, I notice that the clothes he is wearing and the covers are, no were, and still is, a pinkish red. After a long moment father becomes awfully still. Another servant comes and covers him with a clean white sheet, head included.

That same night I am summoned to mother's room. I never really saw mother before, much less talk to her, once I was old enough to walk I was put in the hands of nannies, then eventually just shipped off from room to room in the manor by escorts. Sometimes, when there was a banquet or anything event I would see her, but like with my father, and relatives, and servants, and well, anyone else I came across before discovering how to leave the manor, everything was formal and stiff. I look down at my kimono, it's one of the plain ones I wear to Area 75, I try to wear it as often as I can, I find them much more comfortable than the extravagant ones. I have to change out of it, or mother would disaprove. I choose a brown satin one, with gold silk stitching all over and a pattern of red flowers in the back. I make sure my appearance is presentable first, and then let my maid escort me to my mother's chambers.

I see her there, she has her jet black hair tied back and adorned with hair ornaments, and her skin is the same cocoa brown as mine, but her eyes are an ice blue, looking just as sharp and just as cold. She acknowledges me with a glance and turns back to the tapestry she is weaving. I nervously walk up to her.

"Konichiwa Mother," I say. A moment passes before she responds.

"Konichiwa Yoruichi," she says, turning from her weaving. She gets strait down to business "As you know, you are the heir to the Shihōin clan. Now due to… recent events, you are now the sole heir, the only existing member of the clan of the most recent generation. Therefore, some adjustments shall be done; you shall receive more schooling and begin to embrace the responsibilities that you'll be given in the future,"

Oh joy! More boring schooling! _Schooling? The Shinigami Academy!_ An idea goes off in my head. If I could convince Mother to let me go to the Academy then I could get freedom without breaking rules, and I could be with Kisuke and Isshin!

"If there is to be a change in schooling Mother, then may I go to the Shinigami Academy?" I ask. Mother perks up in surprise.

"No, Yoruichi, your father did not want you to go to the Shinigami Academy, why to you think he hired sensei for you at such an early age?" Mother says quickly.

"I believe that father hired all those sensei so I could learn," I say. "I was so I could learn ahead of time because I was too young to go to the academy. Well, not I'm not that young, and can go. I could learn more, like Father wanted me to," alright, I thought I was lying through my teeth. Father certainly did not was me out of the manor, he wouldn't have not let me out of the house if I let him.

"But Yoruichi…" Mother starts, I stare into those icy eyes of her's, after staring back for a while her eyes are not as sharp and cold. "We'll see," She says blankly, a maid is called to escort my out of the room.

I desperately want to get out of this house; everything is so gloomy and quiet, even more than it was before. I can't say my days really change after Father's death; I would barely see any of my relatives anyway. But when father died it was like the rest of the house shut down. No one except the servants went outside, and that was only to take care of the gardens and orchard. I soon discovered I could not step outside my room without receiving cold stares and advice to go back into my room and stay there. It was like now everyone watched my more closely than ever, and they did. I counted the days, those long boring days. I studied my scrolls a lot then because of there was nothing else to do, and it helped my hope of being able to go to the Academy. On the 5th day there was the funeral.

I'm staring at the floor and all my relatives are gathered around me. Everyone is dressed in white mourning clothes. A coffin is at the front, it's made of glass, and father's body is shown. Prayers are said and old customs are done. Then everyone goes up to the coffin one by one. When it is my turn I stare blankly at the coffin. In there is the corpse of my father, by now he would have been re-incarnated into the human world. He would never come back, well he would, but he wouldn't be the same. No, father was dead, gone, and things would never be the same. Everything was going to change. I feel unwanted tears coming up, holding then back I walk away.

After the funeral I am summoned by my relatives, and we regard each other in the same formal manner that I've always regarded them in. "Yoruichi-sama, your mother told us you would like to attend the shinigami academy," says one of my old uncles. I nod. "Yes, she told us everything you said, do you really believe what you said?" He continues. I nod. "Is this really what you want?" I nod again. The uncle says no more and the 11 of the elders that were in the room leave. The maid doesn't escort my out so I guess they want me to stay there. I hear a lot of whispering and murmurs. About 20 minutes later the elders come back.

"We have decided," Says another one. "That you shall attend. We trust you will study by yourself, and what to see how you score on the entrance exam with out the help of you sensei. But know this, you are expected to not only passed the exam, but to also get into the highest class, Class A, and score at the middle or top of the class, if you do you may attend, if you don't then you aren't ready and will resume studying with your sensei. You will not be allowed to try for the Academy again. Understood?"

"Hai! Arigatou gozaimasu!" I say excitedly as I'm escorted out of the room. This was going to be great, and I plan to get go and tell Kisuke and Isshin immediately, but I can't, the house is still pretty much shut down, and I plan to have scrolls and stuff to bring down there, that way we can all ace the test and be in the same class. On day 8 I head down to Area 75 of west Rukongai, It's been a week.

**... XD C ;P O.o**


	4. Chapter 4: Test

**It's a good thing i'm writing for the fun of it, because this story has little/no audience.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach, can't draw that good, can't write that good, and I only know around 4 words in Japanese, so there you go.**

"Yo Yoruichi! I thought you abandoned us!" Shouted Kisuke.

"I would never!" I respond. The two of them eye the scrolls I am carrying, as well as my all white clothes. "Stop staring guys, I'll tell you all bout it."

"Seriously?" Exclaimed Isshin. "You get to try for the Academy with us? That's awesome! But what about the clothes?"

"My father died," I state bluntly.

"Um…. I'm sorry," Kisuke says.

"It's alright," I reply, "His death was part of reason I was allowed to take the test for the academy. But I got to keep my clothes clean. Do you know how hard it is to keep white clothes clean?"

"I know! Just the whiteness is a temptation to roll around in the mud," joked Kisuke.

"So the scrolls are for studying," I continue. "The deal is either I take the test and pass it with flying colors, scoring somewhere in the middle or top of Class A, or am never allowed to take the test again and will continue studying with my tutors."

"In that case we'll make sure you pass," said Isshin.

"Oh yeah, and the tutors aren't allowed to help me, the elders say, they want to see how I study without them, I think they think I will lock myself in my room till the test. That means I can come down here more!"

"We missed this year's exam right? That means we get a whole year of you coming down here everyday!" Said Kisuke.

"In that case let's start studying!" Said Isshin.

"The Shinigami Academy is on the southwest side of the outskirts of Seireitei, once out get in you are allowed free room and board, so you guys could live there, and they provide meals Isshin," I said. "If I get in I'll try to convince my mom to let my get room and board there."

"Well the test is 5 days from now, let's meet at the front gate outside the school 20 minutes before the test starts," suggested Kisuke.

"And we'll promise to all pass with flying colors and stick together no matter what," Isshin said.

"Deal!"

I gave a loud sigh. I was walking towards the academy (my mother suggested a carriage to bring me there, but thank god I convinced her other wise), my only problem was my 3, yes **3**, escorts. The clan was worried about me never being coughcough "out of the manor before" coughcough. If only they knew… I scanned the crowd coming into view, there was Kisuke and Isshin! Now if I was going to meet them I would have to lose my escorts, I love flash steps in situations like this.

"um… I'm a little nervous…" I lie. I stop moving forward; hopefully the 3 would think it was from nervousness.

"It's okay to be nervous Yoruichi-sama," said one of them. After a few minutes the 3 of them started chatting away, since we had come early they didn't have to make me move yet. Great, they were paying no attention to me! I sprung forward. Some seconds later I was a few hundred meters ways, next to Kisuke and Isshin.

"I'm hiding from my escorts, so be careful," I warn them quickly.

"We can blend in with the crowd, this way," said Kisuke.

"Look at everyone," remarked Isshin. We had gone deep into the crowd, there were people older than us, and a few younger, they were either chatting along excitedly or standing awkwardly alone or being fussed over by parents. Nobles stood out, even though only a few wore finer clothes and jewelry, they just did. I really hope I didn't stand out… I hoped even more that my escorts wouldn't find me.

Then Kisuke and Isshin started talking, and I quickly joined in, forgeting my worries Then everyone was called to attention by the first division captain, Captain Yamamoto, he explained the rules and directions, and we were all separated into groups according to name. There were 13 groups, each with names starting with 2 letters of the alphabet. Isshin was in Group 6, with the "K"s and "L"s. I was in Group 10, with the "S"es and the "T"s, Kisuke was in Group 11, with the "U" and the "V"s. They when by last name, and first name if you didn't have a last name. Biding Kisuke and Isshin good luck I headed for my group.

"Remember everything you studied," the 3 of us said out loud (unintentionally) in union. I laughed, and headed off.

A proctor leads us to a room, me and 13 other want-to-be-students. Taking a seat I look around. The room is rather small, with bland white walls and worn wooden desks nailed to the floor, arranged in neat 5 by 6 rows. All of us are directed to a seat, sitting at least one seat apart. Pens and pencils, as well as the test packets are passed around. The proctor gives the signal to begin, and I turn to the first page, question #1.

After that we are lead somewhere else, where Part 2 will be held. On the way there a girl strikes a conversation with me.

"Wasn't the test like so hard?" She asks, twirling around a strand of her golden hair. I nod even though I thought it was pretty easy, I guess all those hours of studying (and goofing off) with Kisuke and Isshin paid off. She looks older than me, 130 maybe, **(A/N: 13)** and considering her elegant appearance I think she was of lesser nobility. "Yeah, and, I mean even though this is my 5th year trying to take this exam I think it's getting harder, like they want less students or something," She continues. Whoa, 5 years, is it that hard? I mean, if I screw this up I won't get a second chance.

When we arrive to our destination, a hallway with a door leading to an outside training ground each one of us hands over the 2nd admission ticket (this first one was given in with the written exam), and It is returned with a slip of paper that had a number on it, I was number 5. Number one was called, and I saw a kid walk out into the training ground, several minutes later he returned without the admission ticket and paper. Soon enough, my turn came.

After stepping outside onto the training ground I handed over my admission ticket and paper.

"Yoruichi," said the proctor that was out there, after checking for my name. "This will be a test of how well you can control your reishi. Go into that box, it will measure how well you can control it." I step into the box, which is more like a room sticking out of the flat training ground. There are three circles on one wall, all the same size, one was a blank white, one had a big red circle drawn inside it, and the other had the same red circle, but also with a smaller red circle that was colored in inside the larger one. Under each target was a rectangular monitor. On the opposite wall there was another monitor.

"This is how it goes," said the proctor though a speaker, after locking me inside the room. "You must take a maximum 3 minutes to complete each task. First place your hands, open wide on the monitor opposite the targets, try to focus your reishi enough to make the monitor glow fully." I do as he says. With my hands on the monitor I press my spirit energy out of my hands. Nothings happens for the first second, but then the monitor starts to glow, unleashing more reishi, it spreads from the source of my hands until the entire monitor is emitting the soft gold light.

"Very good," said the proctor. "Now turn to face the targets. Your goal is to create a spirit energy ball that is able to hit the target. Stand behind the black line and start with the blank white target, try to hit that." The black line is one and a half feet away from the targets. Standing behind there I put my hands together and try to form the energy ball. _It's like kid__ō__but with out the incantations, it's just that, just that. _I try to calm my nerves. A minute later I take aim. Pressing my spirit energy in a tiny sphere I release. The ball hits somewhere off the center of the circle, a blue check appears on the monitor below.

"Alright, now do the next target, try to hit within the red ring," Says the proctor. My nerves are calmer now, so I quickly take aim and release. A second check appears on the second monitor.

"Now for the last circle," says the proctor. "Try to aim for the red circle, or however close to it as you can get." I do that, and the energy ball hits the mark exactly. Another check appears on the monitor. The test is over, and the proctor unlocks the door and writes something on his clipboard. I step back into the hallway.

Later, after the whole group completes the test, we are lead back to the first room. After waiting for about 3 hours 2 proctors come in. I am given back one of my admission tickets, along with 3 other people.

"Now, those of you who received an admission ticket back, congratulations, you passed the test, please stay here. The rest of you, I am sorry, you did not pass. You are welcome to try again next year, as we hope all of you may one day enter this academy and become full fledged shinigami. Follow the other proctor, he will escort you towards the exit," Says one of the proctors. 10 very pissed looking kids walk out the door after the proctor, including the blonde who talked to me.

"The rest of you follow me," says the proctor left a few minutes later. We go out the door to another room. There the proctor ushers us in. I'm not in there for a second before I'm being pulled over and spun around.

"Hey, what the- whoa, Kisuke, Isshin! Does this mean we all passed?" I say.

"Most likely," said Kisuke. Before long the 3 of us are chatting away at a hundred words per minute (okay, exaggeration). The other kids in there were a little taken aback by our familiarity, most of them knew no one in the room, and those who did spoke in hushed whispers, or formal politeness.

"So, where are the scores?" I asked.

"I think they are in that other room behind that door," Kisuke says.

"Yeah, but they won't let us in yet," Isshin says.

"Remember, if you don't score high enough on the test you will never get another chance of freedom… no pressure," Kisuke taunts.

"That's right; you'll be stuck in that manor forever until you're really old!" Isshin points out.

"Neither of you are helping!" I say, giving Kisuke a hard whack in the shoulder and Isshin a good shove. Their laughing is contagious, and soon I'm laughing despite the fear that's filling up the pit in my stomach. Soon enough a proctor comes and opens the door. Everyone rushes to the next room and has a peek at the list.

I quickly search for my name under "S" finding it I close my eyes and take a few deep breaths. I open my eyes, the row says:

Yoruichi Shihōin- Age: 97- Test Part 1: 16/20- Test Part 2: 10/10- Total Score- 26/30- Class: 1A- Class Rank: 4th out of 30

Yes! I passed! I get to go to the Academy! I hurry up and find Kisuke and Isshin.

"Yoruichi! I got a 28, I'm in class 1A, and ranked number one!" Kisuke says excitedly.

"I got a 25, tied for 5th, 6th, and 7th with 2 other people. I'm in class 1A too," says Isshin.

"I managed to convince the elders to lead me board here if I made the grade. And I did! We're in the same class! I got a 26 and am in 4th place. I get to stay!" I blurt out, a huge smile spreading across my face. Isshin and Kisuke are grinning too. The three of us share a big group huge and start cheering, causing people to stare. Let them stare.

"You know what this means?" Isshin asks. After we calmed down a bit.

"Yeah," said Kisuke. "This is going to be one heck of a year." :)

**End Chapter**


	5. Chapter 5

**I DO NOT OWN BLEACH!! **

Dorm 3G, room 221 the paper says. Following the directions only of the older students gave me, I find my room. Opening the door I see a basic room, with a plain wooden floor, futon, blanket, pillow, a small desk and chair. Finally I get a room that isn't adorned with ridiculously extravagant decorations! Setting down my stuff I walk out, looking for Kisuke and Isshin.

"Hey guys!" I say when I see them, they are outside on the side lawn.

"Hey! What dorm are you in?" Kisuke asks.

"3G, room 221"

"Me and Kisuke are in the same dorm, 3B, right across the hall from each other in fact, 301 and 304," Isshin says.

"Too bad the three of us couldn't be in the same dorm huh?" Kisuke says.

"Well, there is that opposite gender regulation," I point out. "And besides, do you know how much trouble I had to go through to get my parents to let me stay here?!"

"5 minutes 'till curfew!" We hear a student shout.

"I guess that's our cue to leave," Isshin says.

"Let's meet here tomorrow sometime before the beginning of year orientation starts," I say.

"Agreed," Kisuke and Isshin replied at the same time. I grin, that's my friends for you right there. D

"Hey guys!" I say when I see them the next morning. We great each other in our usually lively manner. Soon enough, we enter the building, the Shinigami Academy.

"Our schedule says that class 1A's homeroom is Room 317," Kisuke says, peering at our schedule.

"So, it's the 3rd floor?" Isshin asks. I shrug, and the two of us start to follow Kisuke up the side stairwell. Kisuke finds Room 317, which was on the third floor. A teacher greets us as we enter the mostly empty class room.

"Hey, we aren't the only ones lost, I guess," I say. The three of us find seats next to each other in the very back. As we wait for the rest of the class we start talking.

"Yoruichi, ya know, the two of us have never been to school before," Kisuke states.

"Well… all those hours studying, I guess it will be like that, I don't know, school is probably different than private tutors," I point out.

"Whatever, school is school, but we all know that the three of us will graduate with flying colors," Isshin says boldly and confidently, "Or, at least I will," He adds.

"_Right,_" Kisuke says sarcastically, as I give Isshin a playful punch in the shoulder. A round of chatting and joking around commences between us.

"Class has begun," the teacher says. Kisuke, Isshin and I shut up and face the front, by now the room is full of students. "This is Class 1A," The teacher continues. "I shall be your homeroom, are well as your Soul Society Studies Teacher, you will address me, like you shall address all your other teachers, as Sensei. Today, being the first day of school, you will get and extra 10 minutes of homeroom so all introductions can be made and all questions can be answered. Hour 1 starts at 9:00 A.M. It's a fixed schedule, and a bell will ring to signal when a class ends. Please look carefully at the schedule given to you earlier," the teacher says. I glance down at my schedule, it says:

Homeroom

Hour 1: The Art of a Shinigami Year 1 Room: 131

Hour 2: Kidō Year 1 Room: 216

Hour 3: Basic Swordsmanship Year 1 Room: B3

Hour 4: Lunch

Hour 5: Shinigami Battle Tactics Year 1 Room: 305

Hour 6: Soul Society Studies Room: 317

Hour 7: Free Period Room: 114

The teacher starts a Q &A, but I don't really listen, I talk to Isshin and Kisuke instead, the teacher doesn't notice, and we don't get caught. Soon enough the bell rings, and thus begins my first day of school.

**END CHAPTER**


End file.
